Seal-press



(No Model'.)

J. H. HAMILTON.

SEAL PRESS. No. 344,829. Patented July 6, 1886.

WITNESSES:

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JOHN HENRY HAMILTON, OF CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

SEAL-PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 344,829, dated July 6,1886,

Application filed January .21, 1886. Serial No. 189,301.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN HENRY HAMIL- TON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Concord, in the county of Merrimac and State of NewHampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seal-Presscs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of several novel devices, combined and arranged toform a compact seal-press and wire-clip adapted for compressing lcadenor other soft-metal seals used for sealing freight'cars, the chiefobject I have in view being to construct a seal-press which will be bothcheap and durable, and at the same time of the proper size to be easilycarried in the pocket when not in use.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figurel is a sectional side elevation of my improved seal-press, showing themovable parts as when in the act of com pressing a seal. Fig. 2 showssaid parts in theirnormal position. Fig. 3isageneral plan, and Fig. atis a view of one of the metal seals and its connectingwire.

Similar reference letters indicate corresponding parts in the variousviews.

The stock A may be made in any appropriate form, so long as one end beadapted to contain the bed-die and reciprocating die-plates and theother adapted to be covered by the fingers of one hand while compressinga seal. A convenient form for this piece would be substantially thedesign shown in the drawings in which an opening, A, made clear throughfrom the upper to the lower side, is formed in one end for inserting aseal. In the end metal next to this opening is provided a hole, to whichis threaded the bed-die or die-seat B, or this seat B may be providedwith a stud, b, and said stud be threaded to the end metal of the stockA, as shown in the drawings. By either of these constructions the seat Bis rendered adjustable, which may often be of ad vantage. The reciprocaldie 0 is formed upon or secured to a spindle, c, which has its bearingsin the partitions a a, between which and upon the spindle c is placed aspiral spring, D, one end of which bears against the partition a, whilethe other acts against a pin, a, inserted in a hole made in the spindlec for this pur- (No model.)

to move toward the bed-die B, between which aseal, X, maybe inserted,for compression and stamping with the desired number or mark,

which is first engraved upon the flat surfaces of either thereciprocating die or bed-die, or both.

By the action of the spring D against the pin 0 the lever E will beinstantly sprung to the position shown in Fig. 2 immediately uponrelaxing the pressure of the hand upon said lever, and again be inreadiness to compress and stamp a seal. A slot, G, is formed in one ofthe cars a at a suitable point, and a corresponding slot, G, is alsoformed in and across the prong c of the lever E, the latter being solocated as to be slightly above or rearward of the former when the saidlever is in the position shown in Fig. 3. These slots, after beingbushed with steel, afford a convenient wire clip or cutter, by means ofwhich the seals may be readily broken without recourse to a separatetool for the purpose.

In order that the reciprocating die 0 may not come in contact with thebed-die or seat B, the part c of the lever E is'permitted to comeagainst a boss, a, formed at the proper point upon the stock A, as inFigs. 1 and 2, the length of the spindle 0 being governed accordingly.Thus the motion of the lever E is necessarily limited by the contact ofthe prongs c c with the partition (1 and boss a, respect ively.

By the peculiar formation of the contacting surfaces of the spindle cand the prong E of the lever E the leverage is gradually shortenedtoward the finish of the downward stroke of said lever Ei. 6., when thedies are taking their first grip upon a seal, X. The required pressureis but slight, while, as the compression continues, the amount ofpressure required increases, and were the leverage equal during theentire movement of the lever E said lever Q would be much harder tooperate at the finish of its stroke than at its commencement; but thisdifficulty is entirely avoided by concaving the surface of the prong a,which comes in contact with the spindle c eccentrically with thefulcrum-point F of the lever E, and convexing the corresponding end ofthe spindle c, as shown in the drawings. As a result, when the leastwork is required of the lever E, its point of contact with the spindle 0is farther away from its point of fulcrum than when it is required toapply its greatest pressure, which obviously lessens the required powerto operate the same. 7

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the stock, of the die-bed, the reciprocatingdie, the spindle having the end opposite the die curved, substantiallyas shown, and the operating-lever, concaved to form a bearing with thespindle eccentrical to the fulcrum-point of said lever, as set forth.

2. In a seal-press to form a wire-clip, the combination, with the lever,provided with slot G, of the stock having slot G, as set forth.

,In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN HENRY HAMILTON.

Witnesses:

J. B. THURSTON, NATHANIEL E. MARTIN.

